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New technology from Case Western Reserve University can determine if cancer patients need chemo

CLEVELAND — Ground-breaking research at Case Western Reserve University could change the face of cancer treatment.

Using artificial intelligence and smart-imaging computer technology, a team of researchers is viewing routine medical images — MRIs, CAT scans, tissue biopsies — to determine the best type of treatment.

“We know, for instance, there are a lot of patients out there who get a cancer diagnosis, but we know a lot of them end up getting over-treated, over-diagnosed,” Madabhushi said. He added that it will not decrease jobs for pathologists or radiologists, but assist them and other clinicians.

Madabhushi said if they can reduce the number of surgeries and number of biopsies in patients that don’t need it because they have benign nodules, then that is a victory. Madabhushi said their research has been able to determine whether breast cancer patients, and more recently lung cancer patients, need chemotherapy.

“Right now, just way too many of these patients are being subjected to procedures that are completely unnecessary, are traumatic to them, but also extremely expensive,” Madabhushi said.